The Next Generation: Federico Göttsche Bebert of HERO-ERA

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He can’t be there, he says almost apologetically. The Beforty Rally, created for participants under forty, is one he has to miss – because he’ll be in Saudi Arabia. And that says enough: Federico, now 35, is not just another staff member at HERO-ERA. He is pre-war motoring. The Flying Scotsman – the rally he speaks about with unmistakable sparkle in his eyes – lies at the heart of his work, his family history, and his daily life.

“Regularity in the UK is different than Italy. More difficult.” It’s one of the first things he says when the conversation turns to rallying. British regularity – HERO-ERA’s domain – is more precise, more technical, more unpredictable. And that, exactly that, is what draws him in. Federico often takes part in the rallies himself, in his own pre-war cars. Every day he travels from London to Bicester, where he works behind the scenes of Europe’s most influential historic rally organisation. There is not much publicly known about him, but once we speak, it becomes immediately clear just how deeply his love for historic cars is rooted.

The most striking symbol of that love? Nibbio. A 1935 land speed record car, built by his grandfather. Since the day it was created, it has never left the family. Nibbio won in Turin, in Dessau in 1939, and in Jabeke in 1947. Originally it ran a supercharged Moto Guzzi V-twin motorcycle engine; later it received several other configurations.

Federico had known the car for nearly three decades, but only in 2017 was he allowed to start it for the very first time. As if history opened itself to him – and he was rewarded immediately: Nibbio won the Concours d’Elegance at Villa d’Este on its very first outing.
The story now proudly appears on the HERO-ERA website, yet Federico speaks of it as if it happened yesterday.

His upbringing made his path almost inevitable. His grandfather: a semi-professional gentleman-racer, later a motoring journalist, and one of the first in Italy to take an interest in British racing. His mother: navigator and active at Le Mans. The family lived just around the corner from Monza; the great names of motorsport walked in and out of the family home as if it were theirs.

Federico was quite literally raised in a car, he says with a laugh: as a baby he was already placed in the Alfa Romeo 6C. His grandfather bought that 6C in 1958 from the Automobile Club Milan, after many races – including racing against him. The car is still in the family. Federico even married in it.

Many of the cars he buys – if he can afford them – carry a family connection: a Fiat Topolino that belonged to his grandmother, and a Salmson Type D once owned by his grandfather.

When asked how he found his way to HERO-ERA, he smiles. Federico studied finance & economics – not because he found financial markets fascinating, but because he wanted to earn enough money to buy cars. In 2016 he met Tomas de Vargas Machuca, an old family friend. Tomas invited him to start as an intern at HERO-ERA. Financially it was tough – London is harsh on newcomers – but he stayed. Ten years later he still lives there and has become one of the key figures in the company.

His morning ritual, Tomas once joked, is perfectly predictable: check PreWarCar.com, kiss his wife, make coffee, take a shower. Only then begins the workday.

Within HERO-ERA he grew from analyst to finance, and now primarily into operations: budgeting, partner communication, financial oversight, launching events, customer liaison, quality control, efficiency – and everything in between.
He is one of the longest-serving people in the organisation, he says almost modestly. “So I end up helping the most.”

Beyond rally organisation, HERO-ERA does much more: car hire, vehicle sales, and support within the Heritage Motoring Group. Federico is involved everywhere. “A jack-of-all-trades,” he says – but one with heart, heritage and experience.

Our conversation eventually turns to one of the highlights of his year: the Flying Scotsman. With visible passion he recounts his own Scotsman adventures. By now he has driven the rally three times. The first two ended early: his Bugatti T35 suffered a crankshaft failure ten seconds after the start; a borrowed Lagonda Rapier retired with a timing-gear failure. But last year, in his Alfa 6C, together with his wife, he finally reached the finish.

According to Federico, the Flying Scotsman barely needs an introduction. And yet – unless you’ve driven it, you don’t truly grasp how special it is.

The beauty: not only the pre-war cars, but above all the route. The planners know the landscapes intimately and find roads and locations you would never otherwise discover.
The camaraderie: although it lasts only three days, the atmosphere is unique.
“There’s no arrogance,” Federico says. “Everyone shares the same passion. People genuinely help each other.”

There are top crews who are fiercely competitive – and visibly frustrated when something goes wrong. But most simply enjoy the beer afterwards. The entry is capped at 90–100 cars, ensuring everyone fits in the same hotel and the spirit of the event remains intact. It works: you can genuinely speak with everyone.

Young people are essential, Federico explains – being part of that generation himself. HERO-ERA introduced a 30% discount for teams under forty.
“It’s still a lot of money,” he admits, “but we want to make it possible. Pre-war motoring needs young people.”

Last year saw more young teams than ever: 11 crews out of 56 entrants. This year he expects around 80 cars, again with a strong proportion of younger participants.

And yes, there are pranks. He laughs when we ask – but won’t say what actually happens. “You shouldn’t write that down,” he insists.

What becomes clear is this: participants fully embrace the heritage. The clothing, the atmosphere, the rituals. The rally is joy and emotion. Competition and camaraderie.

Listening to him, it’s obvious why people return year after year. It’s a special experience. A community. A family – just like the cars he grew up with.
And perhaps that, more than anything, is the best reason to line up at the start at least once.

Tekst: Laurens Klein

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